Firefighters turn out to “strong smell at Post Office

PUBLISHED: 15:49 22 November 2007 | UPDATED: 21:52 29 May 2010

DUNMOW firefighters had a busy Monday this week attending two incidents around the area. The first happened in the High Street at 11am when a strong smell filled the top floor of the Post Office. Dunmow fire station officer, Keith Crowe, attended the sce

DUNMOW firefighters had a busy Monday this week attending two incidents around the area.

The first happened in the High Street at 11am when a strong smell filled the top floor of the Post Office.

Dunmow fire station officer, Keith Crowe, attended the scene. He said: "It turned out to be ammonia coming out of an old fridge and officers were sent up to investigate wearing breathing apparatus as a precaution.

"Ammonia can be dangerous if breathed for a long period of time."

A Post Office spokesman said: "A delivery office manager rang the fire brigade because of a horrible smell in the staff room upstairs."

The situation was resolved when the firefighters removed the offending appliance and instructed the council to dispose of it safely. No-one was evacuated during the operation.

"We carried on working downstairs," said a Post Office employee.

In another call-out, firefighters were asked to attend a crash on the B134 near Leaden Roding just before 8.30pm.

Mr Crowe said: "We were one of three crews asked to attend the crash."

The Leaden Roding fire crew reached the scene of the crash first. Chief Doug Reed said: "One woman had to be cut free of her Renault Clio, she had clipped the high verge on the side of the road and rolled the car onto its side."

The woman suffered minor injuries and was taken to Chelmsford and Essex hospital only as a precaution.